Galadhwen The Other Shieldmaiden of Rohan
by ballyhara
Summary: Galadhwen's life was always headed for great things & that includes a certain heir of Isildur but what she does not know is that she has lived before & the past is not done with her. (predominately movie-verse, alternate themes, slight Dracula Untold crossover)
1. Found

**Found**

 _TA 3003_

Háma entered the Halls of the Meduseld with a small boy in his arms that looked to be close to death and as King Théoden rose from his chair he caught sight of young girl behind him that looked to be not much older than his Éowyn, her skin a stark white, such a contrast to the curtain of dark hair that hung loose around her shoulders. She clung onto a small sword that had been fashioned out of sticks and tied together with string and he suspected it belonged to the other child that Háma had laid down on the bench, his head lolling to the side, eyes barely open.

"We happened upon them at Mering stream when we stopped to water the horses" Háma said as he pulled out his waterskin and tilted the child's head forward to try and get him to drink. "The boy was barely conscious, this one - " he pointed to the girl then. " - was dragging him through the dirt by both arms. She hasn't spoken a word about where they are from or what happened to them."

"Child, what is your name?" Théoden asked but she remained silent, her dark eyes haunted.

"Uncle?" Éomer, Théoden's his twelve year old nephew, called out as he entered the hall.

"Stay where you are Éomer" Théoden called as he watched Háma listen to the boys chest. "Háma?"

Théoden's heart grew heavy as Háma shook his head and slowly rose to his feet. The girl looked blankly at Théoden as she clutched the wooden sword against her chest and the King nodded at one of the stewards as they came forth with a heavy drape to cover the boy.

"Éomer, find Éowyn for me like a good lad" Théoden watched as his nephew left and then moved towards the girl, his rough hand cupping her face. "I am sorry child but your friend has left us, my niece will be here in a little while, she is fond of swords too - " a sad smile broke on his face as the girl held out the wooden sword to him and he patted her on the head. " - I suspect you will both become very good friends indeed."

* * *

 _TA 3019_

Galadhwen felt herself becoming more and more agitated as she tried to focus on her needlework instead of Grima Wormtongue. The chief advisor sat at the next table, his eyes not leaving Éowyn for a moment as she practiced with her long-sword. Just the way his pale fingers stroked the table made her skin crawl.

"I see I am not the only one that has noticed Snake's sudden affection for my sister" Éomer muttered as he sat himself down next to Galadhwen.

"Ssshh" Galadhwen hushed nervously. "He will hear you."

"I don't care if he does - " Éomer seethed as Grima took a sip of wine " - if only that were poison - " Galadhwen rested her tapestry on the table and turned to look at him sharply. "Théoden barely leaves his chamber and when he does, that -" his eyes wandered over to Grima again. "- is attached to his ear, telling him what to do."

"Uncle is not well. Théodred's death has - "

"This is more than grief" he murmured as the bench creaked loudly under his weight as he moved closer. "I never told you this but - " he looked around to make sure there was no one eavesdropping. " - it was my company that found Théodred and his men, they had been ambushed by Orcs." Galadhwen' s eyes widened, her mouth hanging open slightly as Éomer cast his mind back to that day. The lashing rain. The stench of death. "Orcs that bore the mark of Saruman. I told Uncle and he did nothing."

"But Théodred was his son. Why would he - "

"Exactly Galadhwen. Théodred was his son. If that man lying in Théoden's bed was the same man that we've grown to know as a father, he would have sent out a thousand riders to avenge Théodred's death. He is under some spell I tell you. We sit here while Orcs run free across these lands, unchecked, killing at will."

"What are you saying?" she lowered her voice barely above a whisper. "That some sort of dark magic has been wielded upon Théoden to make him act this way? Tell me Éomer, do you really believe in such a thing?"

* * *

Galadhwen woke with her hand curved over her stomach, feeling an aching sense of loss as she stirred from her dream, vivid scenes of rubbing her palms over the warm, scarred back of a man sharing her bath. Her hands had been smooth, soft, unused to holding any kind of a weapon. She shivered as she thought of the man, dark haired, leanly built but she could never picture his face, it was as if his features were scrubbed from her mind the moment she awoke. The smooth stone was cold against her bare feet as she walked over to the window and opened it a crack, the air stale as she breathed it. There was no wind. No dogs barking. The city of Rohan was bathed in twilight and seemed to possess an unnatural stillness, a mad thought entered her mind then, _what if Éomer was right, what if Rohan and its King had been cast under some dark spell?_ She had heard of the magic of elves and wizards but thought of them as no more than fanciful delights for a child's imagination. It was too far-fetched for her to truly believe. _But how do you explain the dreams?_ the voice in her head whispered, _the heavy stone walls, torches in sconces and tapestries, all seems familiar, almost as if it was home but you have never seen such finery in your life before, not even in the Meduseld._ Galadhwen often dreamt she was the woman with the long, blonde hair that flowed down over the fur collar of a cape. Other times she watched the man and the woman from an outsiders perspective, as if she was the tiniest fly on their ornate wall spying on them from above. It was unsettling when she really allowed herself to think about it so she buried it as she always did.

"the one  
who will jolt awake  
all the unwritten  
the unsung  
and the unlived  
in me.

i am waiting  
for him."

 **― Sanober Khan**


	2. Morals

**Morals**

"Galadhwen! Have you gone mad?" Éomer shouted as he rode towards her. "You know it's not safe!" Galadhwen sighed, pulling her pale blue cloak around her shoulders as she stopped, irritated and tired of the attitude that simply because she was born female, she was always viewed as the weaker sex. She and Éowyn had mastered over the years how to wield a sword, it was tradition for Rohirric women to do so but war was the province of men and nothing more could become of it.

"I just went for a walk" she grimaced.

"You climbed over the wall again didn't you?" the glare she cast him was enough to answer his question and Éomer sighed as he outstretched his hand down to her. This wasn't the first time she had done so and wouldn't be the last. Galadhwen took his hand without further protest as she climbed on the back of his horse, wrapping her arms around his torso as he steered the horse around. "I swear one day you're going to fall and break your neck – "

"Rider of Rohan!" a man's voice boomed across the open plains and Éomer reached for the hilt of his sword as an old man, dressed in grey robes and carrying a long walking stick as tall as a man, appeared on the edge of the horizon along with three other riders. "We are friends of Théoden!"

"What are you doing?" Galadhwen's eyes widened as they started to pick up speed, riding towards the strangers rather than away from them. "There's only two of us and I am not armed, have you seen the size of that bow – "

"For goodness sake, bite your tongue!" Éomer bit as the wind whipped across his face, stinging his cheeks. "Give me your names!" he shouted.

"I will give you my name horsemaster if you give me yours" the dwarf raised his eyebrows and the elf smirked. Éomer pulled out his sword in retaliation to the slanderous comment and Galadhwen grabbed his wrist then.

"Don't Éomer - " she said, her tone equally as patronizing. "- it's just a dwarf."

"Enough Gimli" the old man knocked the dwarf around the back of the head as he drove his horse forward in a steady motion. "I am Gandalf the White, I counseled your King when he was a young man– " his hooded eyes rested on Galadhwen then and a sense of recognition flickered inside him. " – you there, I know your face - " the others looked at one another strangely as he said this and Gandalf narrowed his eyes as he tried to place her. " – ah yes on the road to Fenmark with your grandfather, you were much smaller then, I remember thinking you had a very large head" he laughed to himself. "How amusing! Oh forgive me my dear girl, three hundred lives of men have dulled my charms, I must say you have grown finely into that head of yours" Galadhwen knotted her eyebrows together, too stunned to say anything. She remembered plenty of occasions where she had accompanied her grandfather as a small child on the road to Fenmark but she did not recall Gandalf. "Oh forgive me again, I am rambling - "

"If you have come to see Théoden, then your journey has been a wasted one" Éomer interrupted him, believing Gandalf to be no more than a doddering old fool.

"Why? Has Théoden died?" Gandalf asked bluntly and he looked at Aragorn. "If he has, how rude of him - "

"Don't be absurd" Galadhwen bit.

"Then you deny us passage" the elf looked sharply at her.

"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard than dealin' with this pair - " Gimli slighted them.

"Why don't you pipe down dwarf?" Galadhwen snapped, feeling her temper flare.

"I think he has already piped down" Éomer chuckled, unable to help himself.

"My Lady - " Aragorn spoke for the first time. " - we wish only to seek an audience with your King, nothing more."

"The King will see no one - " she looked at Éomer then. " - not even his own kin. I bid you all to come see for yourself, come see and you will be met with a closed door."

* * *

"What is this?" Grima shouted as he stood by the empty throne, his gnarled hands twisted like claws. "Why have you brought this conjurer to our hall? Why was I not consulted?"

"We do not need your permission Grima" Galadhwen said as she unfastened her cloak and her disregard for his authority infuriated Grima even more. "We happened upon Gandalf and his friends just outside the gate, he expressed a wish to see my Uncle - "

"Uncle? Do not grace yourself with such titles girl."

"You will address me by my rightful name snake" she shot back and Grima's mouth twisted into a snarl.

"You are nothing more than a peasant girl, an orphaned waif, the child with no name - " his insults were suddenly knocked out of him as Éomer tackled him to the ground, unable to contain his hatred for Snake any longer. Galadhwen gasped as two riders pulled Éomer off Grima and hoisted him backwards, holding him there.

"Don't you ever speak to Galadhwen like that again or I will put a sword through you!" Éomer exclaimed as he struggled. "I know what you are snake, my Uncle, his sickness, you are responsible for all of this misery! I know you are in league with Saruman!"

"Éomer has gone mad!" Grima announced as he crawled onto trembling legs. "His hunger for the throne is insatiable. He will stop at nothing to claim it! He brings us ill guests bearing ill news to convince you all of his lies. I know of his dealings with the peasant girl - " he pointed a pale finger at Galadhwen." - yes, the girl brought up as his sister, I've seen them together - "

"You lie!" Galadhwen shrieked and she launched herself at him but Háma grabbed her before she could get close.

"The King knows of your immoral relations with one another and therefore banishes you from the Kingdom of Rohan" Grima seethed and there was a gasp that rippled throughout the hall."You are not welcome either Gandalf the Grey, you will leave with your - "

"Be silent!" Gandalf bellowed. "I did not pass through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm. I order you to take me to Théoden."

"You do not order me! Háma, restrain him!" Grima shouted but Háma did not move from where he stood, disgusted and appalled by the poison Grima had spouted. There was no part of him that believed the accusations and the realization dawned upon him that him and his men had been played just like pawns on a chess board. Like many he had tried to unsee the Kings unnatural sickness, he had done nothing when Éomer had came to him with his concerns over Saruman but the evil lies Grima had hurled at Eomer and Galadhwen was too much for him. Galadhwen watched in awe as the Captain of the Kings guard strode forward and punched Grima square in the face, knocking him on his back. He crouched over him, pinning him to the floor with his knee locked on Grima's chest.

"You take that back or I will slit your throat for speaking such evil" Háma seethed.


	3. Broken

**Broken**

"Don't ever do anything like that again" Háma scolded Galadhwen as he led her back into the Meduseld. "Where is the healer? Galadhwen is hurt!" he called out and was met with a sea of unsure faces, Agatha, their resident healer, not among them.

"I am a healer!" Aragorn came forward then, his eyes fraught with trepidation as he took in Háma's bloodied face. The rider had one arm draped over Galadhwen's shoulder as she cradled her left hand which was wrapped in some white muslin cloth. "What happened?"

"She was flung from her horse, she's broken her hand I am sure of it."

"Let me see" Aragorn stepped forward and Galadhwen moved back, partially using Háma's body as a barrier between them."I cannot help you unless you let me see."

"Galadhwen, do as you're told for once, please."

"I will not hurt you, I give you my word" Aragorn held out his hand and she slowly came towards him, her eyes not leaving his as he unwrapped the cloth, then gently ran his fingers over hers, careful not to hurt her.

"Are they broken?" she asked.

"Two of your fingers are dislocated but they are not broken" he said softly and her relief was short-lived as he spoke again. "I will need to push both back into position otherwise there is a chance you may never use them again." He could see she was afraid, her teeth set together so hard he thought her jaw would break as he took her hand and pushed the first finger back into position. She was not prepared and let out an agonizing cry, stray tears dropping onto her cheeks.

"I can't" she shook her head but Háma grabbed her before she could flee, holding her there as Aragorn cast him a horrified look.

"Do it quickly" he said to Aragorn. "Is it not better she only suffers for a moment than lose the use of her hand forever?" Aragorn knew Háma was right but the sight of a crying woman, begging him not to hurt her was too much for him to contend with and he couldn't bring himself to do it. "For all that you hold dear in this life, do it!" Háma's raised voice snapped Aragorn out of his emotions and he pushed her second finger into place, her cry cutting through him, churning his stomach.

"It's alright, _sssh_ , it's alright, the worst is over" Háma murmured into her hair as he held her. "This is all my fault, I should never have let Grima onto his feet, he wouldn't have attacked me and you wouldn't have went after him!" Aragorn cast his gaze around the Hall then and sure enough, Grima was not there. "You must stop being so unruly, it only gets you into trouble - "

"It seems she acted when your men did not, I would not call that unruly" Aragorn cut in and Galadhwen turned to look at him.

"With all due respect, you are a stranger and you do not know our ways" Háma looked at him but there was no aggressiveness in his tone. "I've known Galadhwen since she was a child and she has always been unruly, unruly and headstrong, much like Hasufel, the horse than threw her - " his words died on his lips as Théoden emerged from the chamber door and he was sure his eyes had deceived him but the silence that followed and the others stunned faces told him otherwise. The King looked as he once did, though his eyes were confused and his movements slow, there was colour again on his cheeks.

"Where is my sword? Someone - " Théoden asked. " - someone bring me my sword."

"Uncle!" Galadhwen called out, her voice cracking as emotion overcame her and she rushed towards him but Aragorn pulled her back. "Let go of me!" she protested but he held her there as Éomer took Théoden's arm and steered him back out of the Great Hall.

"Your Uncle needs time" Aragorn urged as she continued to fight against him. "You must wait - "

"I have waited long enough - "

"Then surely you can wait some more" Aragorn felt his own temper flare as he released her and she turned around, eyes set like daggers.

"Do not presume to tell me what to do" her voice came out high and weak instead of intimidating and it cracked on the last syllable.

"Galadhwen - " Aragorn tried to reason with her, pity in his eyes for the Rohirric woman but she left briskly, clutching her injured hand.

* * *

The fire crackled loudly, temporarily breaking the deathly silence that hung over the Great Hall. Galadhwen sat on one of the benches, her fingers set in a splint to keep them straight, Éowyn seated beside her. It was snowing outside which was strange in itself as it was the middle of Spring and Galadhwen wondered if it was something to do with the dark magic that had been lifted. It was a far-fetched notion but after what she'd witnessed, she would believe in anything now.

"How is he?" Éowyn was on her feet before everyone else as Éomer entered the Hall, his hair tied back, his eyes red from crying. "Can we see him now?"

"I've sent Théoden into a deep sleep, his mind is still filled with much sorrow but a long and undisturbed rest in the best antidote for him at this time" said Gandalf as he set himself down on one of the benches across the Hall. Aragorn rose onto his feet, noting that the wizard looked drained and about to fall asleep himself.

"Perhaps we should all get some rest" he announced and there was a murmur of agreement from Gimli who was slouched in a corner.

"He kept asking for Théodred" Éomer shook his head and Éowyn cast him a horrified look. "I had to tell him why his son would not come when he asked for him - " he wept into his hand and Éowyn rushed around, embracing her brother tightly as she tried to console him.

"I will get some bedding and sheets prepared" Galadhwen said, wanting to make herself useful, feeling it would be somewhat intrusive if she went to Éomer at that moment; even though she had been raised and treated like family, the truth was they were not bound by blood and Théodred was not her cousin. She had never been particularly close to Théodred and when she heard of his death, she had been numbed by his loss but it had hardly been devastating for her as it had been for his kin.

"I will have a steward make the preparations, you cannot be expected, not with your hand" Aragorn shook his head as he left the Hall.

Galadhwen chewed on the inside of her cheek but sat back down with further argument. She turned to look out the tall window that was decorated in a sharp diamond formation etched on the glass as the snow storm raged on and the wind howled. Outside, a stranger on a brown speckled horse rode across the plains and towards the City of Rohan to seek shelter from the storm, his face and shoulders covered in a heavy red cape. He could see the Meduseld that stood almost on top of the City and the candlelight that shone brightly from its windows. It still looked just as he remembered almost six hundred years before and with a gentle pat on the horses neck, he rode towards the gate, unbeknownst that his untimely arrival would change the course of so many lives, especially of one in particular.


	4. Aye, She Was

**Aye, She Was**

"You'll get a warm meal and somewhere to rest your head for the night" Ivan, the gatekeeper, led the stranger up the steps to the Medusald.

"And my horse?"

"You're in the City of Horse Lords, they treat their horses better than their own people - " Ivan turned to him. "- what did you say your name was again?"

"Vinicius" the stranger answered as Ivan pushed open the heavy set of doors and they stepped into the warmth of the Great Hall. "I see I am not the only one that has come to seek refuge within your city" Vinicius commented as he laid eyes on Gimli fast asleep in a corner, his snores echoing off the stone walls.

"Ivan, who is this man?" Eowyn asked bluntly as she came forward and Vinicius studied her with careful eyes, no more than twenty five years of age, she possessed a slender build but a body that was strong enough to bear children, fair hair that fell to her waist, finer than spun gold, a rare beauty yes but cold, so very cold.

"Forgive me for disturbing the peace in your Great Hall my Lady, such late is the hour but I found myself in need of shelter from the storm."

"I've told 'im he'd get a hot meal and a bed for the night" Ivan repeated.

"The cook has gone to bed so there will be no hot meal but you may stay the night, there is some bedding on the table over there that you can take" Eowyn said with little care for the strangers wellbeing and Vinicius bowed as she left.

"Bet yer wishin' you were your horse now" Ivan shouldered Vinicius as he left and the muscles in his jaw twitched as he watched the old man hobble back out into the storm, one bony hand wrapped around the lantern.

"You will need a pillow aswell" Galadhwen said and Vinicius turned sharply, having not seen the second woman when he came in. "It's not the softest cotton but it's better than laying your head on a stone floor." Galadhwen's heart beat increased a little as he offered a closed mouth smile, his dark eyes warm and inviting. He was the handsomest man she'd ever seen with dark hair that just brushed his shoulders, a strong but kind face. Vinicius watched amused as her cheeks flushed red and she lowered her eyes as he took the pillow she gave to him. As a young man, he had been shallow and boasted that only the greatest beauty would tempt him into matrimony. He looked at women as if they fine wines that should be sampled first but that all changed when he met Govinda. Her father had been a General and had retired back into the citadel for a quiet life. Govinda did not fawn over Vinicius like the other girls and though she was indeed a beauty, he fell in love with her spirit. Marriage had shaped him into a man. Losing his wife had almost destroyed him. Death had given him a new found meaning to life. As his eyes wandered over Galadhwen, he could see a small purple mark shaped like a half crescent moon on the side of her neck and a chill ran through him then. Govinda had had a mark just like that, a deformation that had been caused at birth.

"Well goodnight" Galadhwen bowed her head and a sense of familiarity struck him.

"Wait - " he caught her sleeve and she turned, a little stunned by his forwardness. " - what are you called?"

"Galadhwen" she answered with a little hesitance as she noted he was looking at her differently now, his eyes much more intense.

"I am Vinicius, my Lady" he took her good hand and kissed it.

"Galadhwen, come here" Éomer ordered and she broke from Vinicius, her heart beating profusely in her chest. "Go with Éowyn." She glanced back once, her cheeks burning red as Vinicius continued to stare at her as she left and Eomer clenched his fists, feeling fury boil in his blood. "Do you think it is appropriate to be so forward with my sister when you have failed to introduce yourself to the Lord of this House, have you no respect for the Riddermark sir?"

"Éomer, I am sure he meant no harm" Aragorn came forward to diffuse the situation.

"I know what he means and I will not have him sleep under the same roof as my sisters - "

"My Lord, what crime have I committed? What do you accuse me of exactly?" Vinicius challenged the younger man with ease.

"Éomer, you cannot send a man back out into that storm, he will surely freeze to death" Aragorn argued. "You must remember customs are different from where this stranger may come from, perhaps his people are not so formal when making new introductions. It does not make him a threat - " he looked back at the stranger. " - now that he knows, I am sure he will agree with me when I say he will not do it again." Vinicius forced a small smile and nodded which seemed to calm Éomer.

"Alright, you may stay the night but you will leave at first light without argument."

* * *

"Éomer had no reason to act towards Vinicius in that abhorrent manner - "

"Oh is it Vinicius now? We're on first name terms?" Natalia, the nurse maid raised her silver eyebrows at Galadhwen as she stripped back the bedcovers. "You stupid girl, your brother had every reason to act the way he did towards that man, you are no longer a child, men like that, outsiders, they prey upon young women, you're so naive you don't even see it, all you see is a handsome face and hope he'll marry you but he won't. He'll plant a child inside you and bugger off, they always do."

"That's unfair - " Galadhwen didn't say any more as Natalia shot her down with a piercing steel gaze. The older woman had tended to all three siblings since they were children and had been a loving but constant stern maternal figure since then.

"Natalia is right" Éowyn said as she drew the curtains. "Outsiders do not know our ways, some have little upbringing, they would not think twice about - " she lowered her voice incase she was heard and cast both ladies a knowing look. " - well, you know what I imply. That is why we must rely on our brother's judgement."

"Our brother's judgement!" Galadhwen scoffed. "At this rate, I will never be married and neither will you!"

"Hush now! You've said your piece, now get to sleep, both of you" Natalia ordered them and reluctantly, Galadhwen climbed into her cold bed. As she slept, she dreamt she was lying in a glorious four poster bed with silk sheets. Vinicius crawled onto the bed and kissed her feverishly. She could the weight of him on top of her, the pressure from his mouth as he locked her in an eternal kiss. Galadhwen awoke, her heart pounding and she found that her cheeks were wet. As she wiped her face with the palms of her hands, she realised she'd been crying.

* * *

"Head west, it will be warmer at this time of year" Aragorn parted some words of advice as he stopped at the gate.

"Thank you for your kindness shown towards me, you are a good man" Vinicius shook Aragorn's hand firmly and Aragorn frowned at how cold his touch was. The storm had eased during the early hours and the snow had started to melt as the air was warm.

"And perhaps next time you seek shelter, don't anger the Lord of the House by making eyes at the eldest daughter" Gimli chimed in and Aragorn tensed as Vinicius narrowed his eyes at the dwarf's ill-timed comment.

"I was not making eyes if that is what you call it master dwarf to anyone" he stated with an edge in his voice. "I am married."

"Oh" Gimli exclaimed as if pleasantly surprised. "Tell me, your wife, is she a beauty?"

"Aye - " Vinicius climbed onto his horse and Aragorn noted the vacant look in his eyes. " - she was."


End file.
